Dave had been sick before so his family thought life would carry on as normal
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Archie Whitfield (left) and his dad Dave (right)
Archie Whitfield (left) and his dad Dave (right)(Image: Supplied)
A loving dad with ‘boundless energy and positivity’ died unexpectedly of a rare condition. Dave Whitfield was 58 when he died in December 2023.
His son Archie, 23, explained that his dad had been diagnosed with several brain tumours throughout his life but they had always been treatable by doctors. This changed in early 2023 however.
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Another brain tumour led to Dave being diagnosed with Cushing’s syndrome, a rare condition caused by excessive cortisol in the body. Often this overproduction is due to a benign tumour in the pituitary or adrenal glands.
Cortisol helps the body cope with stressful situations, as well as reducing swelling and fighting off infections. Cushing’s syndrome is also much more common in women than in men.
Because of this, Archie and the wider family were taken aback about what happened to Dave. Speaking to the ECHO, Archie said: “Dad had brain tumours come and go over the last 15, 20 years.
“He was always able to either get the tumour operated on or have radiotherapy to have them removed. However, a couple years ago, a tumour came back, causing Cushing's syndrome.
“As we'd obviously experienced him having brain tumours in the past, it was a case again of thinking, ‘ah it's alright, he’s had them before, overcome them and life has carried on as normal.’
“This time with Cushing’s though, it affected him a lot more. Life was getting more and more difficult for him. They weren’t able to operate on the tumour due to the scar tissue. It was much harder to remove, so there was just a slow deterioration in his condition.”
Dave’s death was a massive loss to Archie and everyone who knew him. Archie said: “Dad had a boundless amount of energy and positivity. He was a very positive man.
“He would make everyone in the room feel like the most important person there. As a dad, he was an endless source of advice and support. He worked as a teacher. He loved getting the best out of his students and seeing the best in people generally.”
Dave had been diagnosed with several brain tumours throughout his life
Dave had been diagnosed with several brain tumours throughout his life
Football was a shared passion between Dave and Archie, who are both from Thirsk in North Yorkshire. Dave was a huge Arsenal fan which he passed to his son, who played for York City at youth level.
After his dad died, Archie started to think about doing something related to this passion in his dad’s memory. He said: “I'm a big believer in the fact that football unites more than it divides.
“Of course it has its divisions because it's a massive game and people feel so passionate about their football clubs, but you go to a bar anywhere, and if you find two people interested in football, they're gonna chat about it and in a friendly manner.
“After dad passed, I thought, I’d love to do something in his memory and spread the word about his life and his condition. I thought about running the length of the country from Land’s End to John O’Groats but it didn’t have that personal aspect.”
Archie then had the idea of an epic 800-mile run between all 20 Premier League football stadiums. He started his challenge yesterday at St James’ Park in Newcastle on April 2 and will finish at Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium on April 26.
Archie will reach Merseyside this weekend on Sunday April 6 to run past Anfield and Goodison Park. The following day, he will stop off at the headquarters of the Brain Charity on Norton Street in Liverpool city centre.
Archie will be raising money for the organisation during his run, which specialises in supporting people with neurological conditions. Archie said: “I think there'll be some good support when I get into Liverpool.
"There’s obviously a rivalry between Arsenal and Liverpool and we’ve got many friends who are Liverpool fans. I have lots of memories of watching both Liverpool and Everton games with my dad over the years.
Archie will be running to every Premier League stadium in memory of his dad
Archie will be running to every Premier League stadium in memory of his dad
“We didn't know about The Brain Charity while dad was still alive. But one thing we found with dad was that we were lucky and had such a big support network of friends and family.
“With him being so popular, so many people helped us out. So many people with these brain conditions don't have that support network.
“That’s something The Brain Charity helps massively with. It’s been amazing to visit them and see the work they do. That was the main factor in us going with them.”
The Brain Charity's CEO Pippa Sargent said: "Archie’s challenge is an incredible tribute to his dad, and we are so grateful for his support. Losing a loved one to a brain condition is devastating, and the money he is raising will help The Brain Charity support more families facing similar challenges. We’ll be behind him every step of the way."
You can find out more about Archie’s challenge via his JustGiving page or website. More information about The Brain Charity is available here.